Bouygues Telecom selects Acme Packet for IMS network (France, USA)
Acme Packet, the leader in session delivery networks, announced that Bouygues Telecom, a leading fixed and mobile service provider in France, is deploying Acme Packet Net-Net Session Director session border controllers (SBCs) in its IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network, supplied and integrated by Alcatel-Lucent. Acme Packet’s SBCs fulfill numerous IMS functions at both the access and interconnect borders, ensuring security, interoperability, and quality in the network.
Bouygues Telecom is deploying IMS to support multiple services, including migration of existing residential voice to voice over IP (VoIP), interconnecting with other service providers and launching new services, such as visual voice mail.
The Net-Net Session Director fulfills critical IMS functional requirements at the access and interconnect borders of Bouygues Telecom’s network. In the access network, SBCs provide the critical Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) and IMS-Access Gateway Function (AGW) for securing, interoperating, and controlling all SIP-based services to subscribers. The Net-Net Session Director provides Interconnect Border Control Function (I-BCF) and the Transition Gateway (TrGW) for controlling fixed and mobile SIP traffic at interconnect borders, encompassing both internal interconnection between Bouygues’ fixed and mobile networks as well as between the IMS network and other service providers.
Bouygues Telecom is using Acme Packet’s interoperability feature set that includes SIP normalization and SIP to SIP-I interworking that helps accelerate time-to-market and reduce operational costs as the network expands. Net-SAFE®, Acme Packet’s security framework, provides denial of service (DoS) attack prevention, topology hiding, and access control to protect Bouygues Telecom’s IMS network and ensure service availability. Other key features include accounting for billing and traffic planning, as well as admission control, routing, and quality of service marking for service level agreement assurance.
Jean-Paul Arzel, Bouygues Telecom networks director, said that Acme Packet’s SBC is a key part of their IMS network, built to enable innovative services and deliver enhanced customer experience to their fixed and mobile customers. They chose the Acme Packet solution due to their culture of innovation, the rich functionality and scalability of its session border controllers, and the company’s impressive track record in enabling trusted, high-quality VoIP, and IP interactive communication services.
Mario Oliveira, Acme Packet’s vice president of Europe, Middle East, and Africa, and Caribbean and Latin America sales, said that Acme Packet brings extensive experience in helping their customers build next generation communications networks. Their IMS solution portfolio delivers the security, interoperability, and quality functionalities that Bouygues Telecom and leading service providers demand to be successful in their migration to end-to-end IP communications.
Google and Motorola Mobility close $12.5 billion deal (USA)
Google Inc. completed its $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. and named a new executive to lead the smartphone maker, according to a report by DJN.
Dennis Woodside, a Google executive involved with planning for the acquisition and formerly the president of Google’s Americas region, was named Chief Executive of Motorola Mobility. Woodside was one of a handful of names reported to be up for the job, according to recent news reports.
He replaces Sanjay Jha, who first arrived at the former Motorola Inc. in 2008. Motorola in early 2011 spun off the higher-profile mobile-devices and TV-set-top-box operations into Motorola Mobility.
As per the report, Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business. Motorola already produces a number of phones and tablets based on Google’s Android mobile software.
Vodafone relies on Verizon as profit from Europe declines (USA, UK)
Telecom operator Vodafone Group Plc will have to rely on its U.S. wireless venture to meet profit estimates and cover up declining sales in the European markets, largely Spain and Italy, according to a report by BN.
Vodafone said that operating profit excluding some items may rise as much as 3.2 percent in the 12 months ending March 2013. Profit on that basis slipped 2.4 percent last year to $18 billion after the sale of a stake in its SFR French unit. Verizon Wireless, the largest U.S. mobile carrier, accounted for 42 percent of the total, an increase of 9.3 percent.
As per the report, Vodafone, which relies on western Europe for most of its revenue, is no longer the world’s biggest mobile-phone company as China Mobile Ltd. boosted sales last year to $81.7 billion. While profits and sales at Verizon Wireless are rising, Newbury, England-based Vodafone still needs to negotiate dividends every year with U.S. partner Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ), which controls 55 percent of the venture.
T-Mobile introduces no annual contract mobile broadband service passes (USA)
T-Mobile USA, Inc. announced that its new, flexible and worry-free No Annual Contract mobile broadband service passes will debut May 20, making it easier for customers to enjoy access to high-speed Internet on the go whenever they want. With T-Mobile’s new, more affordable No Annual Contract data passes, customers can experience T-Mobile’s blazing-fast 4G network speeds across a variety of mobile broadband devices including tablets, mobile hotspots and laptop sticks – with no strings attached.
Starting at just $15, T-Mobile’s lineup of No Annual Contract mobile broadband passes delivers a pay-in-advance, overage-free solution that offers an allotment of mobile data, making it possible for customers to choose a pass that best fits their data needs without committing to a two-year contract: 300MB 1-week pass for $15, 1.5GB 1-month pass for $25, 3.5GB 1-month pass for $35 and 5GB 1-month pass for $50.
Jeremy Korst, vice president of marketing, T-Mobile USA, said that although most of their mobile broadband customers choose postpaid rate plans for the best device prices and data rates, they know that many of their customers want the flexibility to be able to experience mobile broadband without committing to an annual contract up front. With better pricing and new features like an auto-refill option and a simpler purchase experience, T-Mobile’s No Annual Contract mobile broadband passes make it easier and more affordable than ever to experience high-speed Internet on the go on a range of devices.
T-Mobile offers a variety of 4G mobile broadband devices that, when connected to T-Mobile’s high-speed 4G network, offer customers fast access to the Web, e-mail, gaming, movies and more, while on-the-go.
T-Mobile’s lineup of mobile, connected tablets, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus and the T-Mobile SpringBoard with Google, deliver a premium on-the-go entertainment and Web experience, making it possible to stream movies on a road trip or shop online while the kids play at the park.
The T-Mobile Sonic 4G Mobile Hotspot and the T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot are ideal for staying connected on-the-go with colleagues and clients or providing Internet on the go for the family on vacation. Providing simultaneous access to T-Mobile’s 4G network for up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices, customers can use their mobile hotspots to connect their iPad devices, laptops, music players, portable gaming devices and e-readers, among other devices, to T-Mobile’s high-speed 4G network.
T-Mobile’s laptop sticks, including the HSPA+ 42-enabled Rocket 3.0 USB Laptop Stick, are perfect for customers looking for a blazing-fast mobile Internet connection on their laptop.
Verizon to cancel unlimited data plans with discounted handsets (USA)
Verizon Wireless has been considering the launch of shared data price plans which will enable consumers to use one data plan across different devices such as their smartphone, iPad and tablet. However, according to a recent report by TechCrunch, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo said that every one of their customers would be on one of the carrier’s new data share plans.
This announcement has got consumers on Verizon’s unlimited data plans concerned. Subscribers who have just upgraded from a 3G to a 4G device with that older data plan intact will be able to hang on to it until the time they upgrade their smartphone.
Furthermore, as per the report, customers who pay the full outright price for their handsets will be able to keep their unlimited plans as well. Verizon said that when they introduce their new shared data plans, unlimited data will no longer be available to customers when purchasing handsets at discounted pricing.
Apple places chips contract with Elpida, Samsung loses $10 billion market value (USA, South Korea)
US giant Apple has placed huge chip orders with Japanese maker Elpida, causing Samsung shares to dip 6 percent resulting in a market value loss of $10 billion, according to a report by ET.
As per the report, Apple recently placed large mobile dynamic random access memory (DRAM) orders with Elpida’s 12-inch plant in Hiroshima, Japan, securing around half the facilities total chip production. Following this news Samsung’s shares, the world’s biggest DRAM maker, tumbled 6.2 per cent to a 9-week low of $1,100 – the stock’s biggest daily fall in nearly four years.
Analysts claim that this move came as Apple doesn’t want to see Samsung and hynix dominate the chip market. Apple wants to maintain its bargaining power by keeping Elpida running.
Samsung is yet to make an official statement regarding the same.
50.4% US customers use smartphones; Android accounts for 48.5% (USA)
According to a recent report by Nielsen, in March 2012 smartphones as many as by 50.4 percent of consumers in US were using smartphones over basic devices, with Android maintaining its dominant position, accounting for 48.5 percent of all smartphone handsets. Apple follows at 32 percent remaining the single-biggest smartphone handset brand.
However, the smartphone growth in US has been slow in the past three months, with a growth of only 3 percent from 47.8 percent in December 2011. The report also highlights that Asian Americans have the highest usage, at 67.3 percent, using a smartphone device.
Hispanics were in second place with 57.3 percent of the group using smartphones, with African Americans closely following with 54.4 percent. Whites had the lowest penetration of all, with 44.7 percent. A gender analysis revealed that in the U.S. 50.9 percent of females had smartphones, while among men it was 50.1 percent.
T-Mobile selects Ericsson and NSN for $4 billion 4G network plan (USA)
T-Mobile USA, Inc. announced multi-year agreements with Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) to support T-Mobile’s $4 billion 4G network evolution plan, including network modernization and deployment of long term evolution (LTE) service in 2013.
As part of the agreements, Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks will provide and install state of the art, Release 10 capable equipment at 37,000 cell sites across T-Mobile’s 4G network, increasing signal quality and enhancing performance beginning in 2012. T-Mobile also expects to be the first carrier in North America to broadly deploy antenna integrated radios, enabling accelerated deployment and reduced site loading.
Last week, T-Mobile secured the AWS spectrum licenses from AT&T which were agreed to as part of the breakup of the proposed merger between the two companies. This new spectrum, in addition to the refarming effort, enables the launch of LTE in AWS spectrum and up to 20 MHz of LTE in 75 percent of the top 25 markets.
Neville Ray, chief technology officer, T-Mobile USA, said that they are making great progress on their four billion dollar 4G network transformation. With these partners on board and the AT&T AWS spectrum secured, they are on track to enhance their 4G experience this year and deliver nationwide LTE in 2013.
The company’s timing for LTE allows T-Mobile to take advantage of the latest and most advanced LTE technology infrastructure, improving the overall capacity and performance of its 4G network, while optimizing the company’s spectrum resources. T-Mobile will also apply deep LTE technology experience gained from its parent, Deutsche Telekom, a recognized global leader in LTE development and standardization.
As part of the company’s network modernization effort, T-Mobile also plans to launch 4G HSPA+ service in the 1900 MHz band in a large number of markets by the end of the year. Network modernization trials have shown up to a 33 percent increase in HSPA+ data speeds as well as improved in-building coverage. Rolling out 4G HSPA+ services in the 1900 MHz band will also provide customers with the ability to use a broader range of devices, including the iPhone, on T-Mobile’s 4G network.
T-Mobile also announced that its nationwide HSPA+ network has expanded to deliver a competitive 4G experience to well over 220 million people in 229 markets. In addition to an expanding 4G footprint, the 4G experience T-Mobile provides is pervasive among its customer base.
Ray said that in contrast to their competitors, nearly half of T-Mobile’s postpaid smartphone customers are using a 4G device. Not only are they delivering a fast 4G experience to a higher percentage of their customers, they are also making it more affordable to step up to 4G.
Beginning today, customers in Little Rock, Ark.; Hattiesburg, Miss.; Springfield, Mo. and Madison, Wis. can experience the fast speeds available on America’s Largest 4G Network. Customers in Fayetteville and Little Rock, Ark.; Lake Charles, La. and Springfield, Mo. can experience the faster speeds offered by our HSPA+ 42 network with devices such as the recently launched HTC One S. Current customers are experiencing average speeds approaching 8 Mbps with peaks up to 22 Mbps using T-Mobile’s HTC One S.
The real reason behind Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility (USA)
Google’s mobile operating software – Android – has resulted in it controlling a dominant position in the mobile phone market, beating rivals Apple and Nokia to the number one spot. The acquisition of Motorola Mobility further earned Google access to over 17,000 patents, enabling the internet giant to protect its Android software from patent infringements.
A report by CNET offers an insight into the possible opportunities offered by such a merger to users. As per the report, this deal may enable Google to be the first to offer smartphone devices that completely replace a user’s personal computer (PC).
In terms of smartphones, Apple and Samsung offer extremely competitive services. However, if Google was to make the jump towards a functioning PC on a mobile phone, Apple could find itself in a lot of trouble.
The report highlights the massive appeal such a gadget would offer business customers. Most companies are moving business apps to either the cloud or private browser-based apps. Webtop-enabled Android devices — if they are well-orchestrated — could take a big bite out of the corporate sales of Windows.
While the PC supported smartphone sounds very impressive, Google still has a long distance to cover before it achieves this feat.
